Feed-cutter



N0. 6l2,925. Patented Oct. 25, I898. G. C. HANGER.

FEED CUTTER. (Applicatidn filed .mi 2, 1897.)

(N0 Modei.)

NITEl) {STATES PATE T OFFICE.

. GEORGE HANGER, OF CHUROHVILLE, VIRGINIA.

FEED-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,925, dated October25, 1898.

.. Application filed July 2,1897. Serial No- 643392. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE G. HANGER, of Churchville, in the county ofAugusta and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Feed-Cutters; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to feed-cutters, and more particularly to a machinefor cutting corn.

My object is to provide a machine of the class described which will beprovided with improved mechanism for gaging the size of the pieces cut,novel means for holding the ears of corn in proper position so that aclean cut can be made, and a knife operated in any improved mannerwhereby ample time is given for the corn to feed before the cut is made.

Having the foregoing object in View, the invention consists of certainimproved devices adapted to coact in a novel manner, as will appear morefully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is aplan view. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 4 is across-section.

The body of the machine is shown at 1, the same being supported in apreferred manner. At one end of the body there is an incline 2, whichhas a central partition 3, defining two chutes 4t and 5, down which thecorn is adapted to pass.

The numeral 6 designates a retaining plate which extends over the chute,near the lower end thereof, and serves to hold the ears of corn down insaid chute and to prevent any tipping or tilting of the ears when thecut is made.

The numeral 7 designates a shaft journaled in the frame, and 8 is aknife-arm which is secured to said shaft and adapted to vibrate in avertical plane. This knife-arm has a compound-curved slot 9.

The numeral 10 designates a knife secured to the free end of the armaforesaid and of slightly greater width than the combined widths of thechutes, the same being adapted to operate across the ends of saidchutes.

Said knife strikes the ears transversely thereof and cuts them, thepieces dropping down through the frame. At 11 there is shown acrank-shaft having a crank-loop 12, which is loosely received in thecompound-curved slot of the knife-arm, and by the rotation of said shaftthe knife-arm, and hence the knife, is operated. A fly-wheel 13 ispreferably provided for the crank-shaft. Crank-operated gear-and-pinionmechanism 14 is employed for turning the shaft.

I desire to call especial attention to the coaction between the combinedcurved slot and the cran k-loop. 1 It will be observed that owing .tothe employment of a slot of this shape the knife is permitted to remainsubstantially stationary in raised position during a portion of themovement of the crank-loop, and consequently the ears of corn are givenample time to feed downwardly after a out has been made and the kniferaised. I employ two bell-crank levers 15 and 16, which are dupli cates,the same being pivoted at their angles to the interior faces of thesides of the frame, as at 17. The short arms of the levers depend andthe long arms extend rearwardly.

The numeral 18 designates a gage-roller, having reduced ends 19,journaled in the short arms of the bell-crank levers. the ears of cornrest against this roller, and the position of thelatter determines thelength of the pieces cut from said ears. By reason of the employment ofa gage-roller there is no tendency for the ends of the ears to catchafter being cut, and hence no danger of the machine being clogged atthis point. The free ends of the long arms of the bell-crank levers arebifurcated at 19, and plates 20 are secured to said arms for a purposewhich will now appear.

The numeral 21 designates a rock-shaft in the sides of the frame andprovided with fin gers 22,'which are received in the bifurcated portionsof the levers and rest against the plates secured to the latter, saidplates preventing transverse thrust of the fingers and the lovers.

The numeral 23 designates a controllinglever, "the same being located onthe square end 24 of the rock-shaft and held in position by a linchpin25.

The numeral 26 designates a spring secured The ends of to the rock-shaftand to the lever and adapted to urge. said lever in toward the frame. Alocking-pin 27, secured to said lever, is adapted for reception in anyone of a series of openings 28 in the frame, said openings determin--ing the distance at which the gage-roller lies from the ends of thechutes.

It will be apparent that when the lever is rocked the fingers'of therock-shaft will wipe against the ends of the bell-crank levers and, saidlevers being shifted, the gage-roller will be advanced toward orretreated from the lower ends of the chute.

Briefly described, the operation is as follows: The ears of corn areplaced in the chutes, and they then gravitate until they strike thegage-roller. The crank-shaft having been put in rotation, the knife ismade to descend and cuts off the ends of the ears, the latter droppingto the ground. The knife then rises, when, owing to the employment ofthe crank-loop and the compound-curved slot, it is poised a sufficientlength of time to allow the ears to again gravitate until they strikethe gage-roller. The knife then descends and the operation is repeated..The

retaining-plate serves to prevent tilting of the ears when struck by theknife.

Other means could be employed for adj usting the gage-roller, and, infact, many slight changes could be resorted to in different parts of thedevice.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a cutting-knife, a chute for feeding the corn, pivotedbell-crank levers, a gage carried by one end of said levers, a rockshaft operatively connected with the other end of the levers, and meansfor securing said rock-shaft in predetermined positions, substantiallyas described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with acutting-knife, of means for feeding the corn thereto, pivoted bellcranklevers, a gage secured to one set of arms of said levers, the other armsof the levers being bifurcated, a rock-shaft having fingers received inthe bifurcated portions, 2. controlling-lever secured to the rock-shaft,and means for locking said lever in predetermined positions,substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with acutting-knife, of means for feeding the corn thereto, a movable gage, arock-shaft, operative connections between the rock-shaft and the gage, acontrolling-lever secured to the rock-shaft and movable relativelythereto, a springbearing against said lever, a locking-pin secured tothe lever, and a machine-frame for said parts having openings to receivesaid locking-pin, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification inthe presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE C. HANGER.

Witnesses:

B. F.' TERRY, Jos. B. WooDWARn.

